Electrical circuit closer



Feb. 17, 1925.

c. KEMP ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CLOSER Filed May 5, 1924 a a 2 0/ c 3 I670 0q a a a 7 4 w, m I; Aw, fi: j 6 c Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

CHARLES KEMP, OF NEW- YORK, N.- Y.

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. CLOSER.

' Application filed May 5,

To allwhom it may concern:

citizen of the Unit'edStates, and a resident of the boroughof'Manhattan, city, county, and Statefof' -New York, have inventedcertain new and-useful Improvements in Electrical Cii'cuit-Glosers,-ofwhich thefollowing is a specification.

Whileada tedfOr general use in connection -with electric circuits forvariousother' -=purposes, my improved circuit closer is designed"primarilymnd specially for emincorporated in such manner as to actuatean alarm WllBHGVBL bllB'GlQCillC circuit 111-- volved is closed thereby.

'To this e-nd'theinvention consists in the specific combinationandtarrangement of constituent parts'and appurtenances herein=describedand claimechwhereby I positively attain instantaneous resultsand efficiency, in

that my plural contactcircuit closer device is operative in severaldirections, 1. e.,

' -transversely,'and rectangularly, as related to eachbther; or, inother words, the device has three closure contact surfaces co-related toeach other, the s *itch arm being held normally in medial position, andout of engagement with either of the three cont actual surfaces, bymeans of a ligature, the disturbance, severance, or release of whichwill result'in the closure of the electric alarm circuit at one contactor the other, as the case alarm is provided for the protection of any.

space or area, enclosed orotherwise, exposed to danger of surreptitiousentrance or unlawful intrusion.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrat-e, by way of exemplification, aplural contact surface electric circuit closer device embodying theessential features of my invention in practical and operativerelationship, although I do not confine myself to the identical form andconstruction of parts shown, since modifications and equivalentmechanical expedients may be resorted to without departing from thespirit and in tent of my invention in this respect.

Vith this understanding Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my plural contactelectric circuit closer, setfor use with 1924. Serial No. 711,014.

I 'the :drop latch held extended by the detective Q Be =itknown 'thatI,'CHARLES Kniur, a.

ligature, andthe wswitchx-lever ill-1101111211 medial position;

' Fi 6 is a rear elevation of thebase late etc. of my improved circuitcloser.

B, represents the base plateof my device on which the other parts aremounted, said base B, being made of insul; ting material, and beingadapted, as by the countersunk screw holes b, b, for attachment to anycon venient stationary support.

F, is a fulcrumed screw post electrically connected by means of the wiret, with the electric circuit terminal T, as shown more particularly inFig. 6, of thedrawings, the other-electric circuit terminal post T,being connected in turn by the wire 13, with the electrical contactbridge plate C, the latter being rigidly secured to the base B, byscrews 0, c, or equivalent means. 'Thus the said electrical contactbridge plate consists essentially of the end flanges c, c, forengagement with the aforesaid attachmentscrews c, c, and of the sidemembers 0 c and span or medial member 0*, the said side members 0 c andspan 0*, constituting independent electric contactual surfaces ashereinafter set forth.

Fu'lerumed on the screw F, is the pivotal link 8, forming part oftheswitch lever S, and to. which the circuit closer s, is articularlyconnected, as will be understood by reference more particularly to Figs.2, 4 and 5, of thedrawings.

A spring 8*, attached at one extremity to the circuit closer s, and atthe other to the base B, tends constantly to draw and hold said circuitcloser s, of the switch lever S, against the side contact member 0 asshown in Fig. 5, of the drawing, thereby closing the electric circuit 6,e, in which the alarm device (not shown) is interposed in a manner wellknown in the art.

Normally the switch lever S, is held out of contact with the side member0 by means of a snap fastening of well known or suitable character, thatshown in the drawing'by way of exemplificationconsisting of a so calledglove fastening catch'comprising a socket a, and an expansive button a,fitting therein, the button a, being preferably attached to the upperextremity of the circuit closer s, and the socket a, being embedded inthe base B, although it is obvious that an alternative arrangement ofthe snap parts named might be resorted to, and that equivalentmechanical expedients might be substituted with like results in thisrespect, the essential feature being an easily .detachable connectionbetween the base and .position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, and'for this reason, in the practical use of my device saidligature L,'is stretched across the area or space to be safeguarded. i

For instance in Fig. 1, the ligature L, shown as broken away medially,is supposed to be stretched across a space or passageway that wouldnecessarily be traversed by an intruder, oneend of said ligature L, be.-ing attached to a Wall W, or other appropriate stationary part, and theother to the free end of the drop latch D. If the intruder is cautious,and cuts the ligature L,

4 the drop latch D, will be released, and will fall against the span 0*,of the circuit bridge plate C, thereby'closingthe electric circuit andactuating the alarm interposed therein. If, however, the ligature L, isnot observed by the intruder and he presses against same, the snapfastening a, a, will be disengaged, releasing the switch lever S, sothat it will be shifted and pulled against either the side contact 0 orthe side contact 0 according to the direction of the stress exerted uponthe ligature L, thereby,

in either case, effecting closure of electrical alarm circuit. In eitherevent the spring 8", upon opportunity, will insure the engagement'of theswitch lever S, with the contact 0 thereby efiecting continuation of thealarm until the switch lever S, is withdrawn therefrom and relocked inneutral position.

My plural circuit closer is an essentially super-sensitive trap devicefor the detection of the presence of intruders within the area protectedthereby, in that any disturbance of the ligature L, will positivelyclose the electric circuit and actuate the alarm connected therewith.

I have herein shown and described my circuit closure device as oftriplec-haracter in so far as the number of electrical contactualsurfaces is concerned, and it isobvious'that in doing so I haveestablished my right to claim a plurality of opposed contactual surfacesin conjunction with my medially positioned switch arm of special 7construction, and with a controlling ligature, said combination ofelements being operatively related, substantially as herein set forth. v

What I claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isV 1. An electric circuit closer device of the character designated,comprising a stationary contact member connected with an alarm.-

of contactual surfaces, an articulated fulcrumed switch lever connectedwith the other terminal of the electrical alarm circuit, snap fasteningmeans forholding said switch lever in normal position, a drop latchpivotally attached to said switch lever, a ligature connected with saiddrop latch, and means f holding said ligature taut, sub stantially inthe manner and for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES lsIFiMP. Witnesses Gno. 7M. Mra'r'r, MATHILDA STENERNAGEL.

